Nathaniel Hawthorne's Anti-Transcendentalism

Anti-Transcendentalism Evil. Sin. Destruction. They are all used to describe a movement whose ideas go against those of transcendentalism. These terms are all aspects of a movement from the 1830’s known as Anti-Transcendentalism or Dark Romanticism. Nathaniel Hawthorne, a poet from Massachusetts was a Dark Romantic. He was well known for including gruesome aspects in his stories and poems. In his work, he demonstrated his negative thoughts of mankind. “The Ocean,” one of his most famous pieces of poetry explains the mad and calming aspects of life by using Anti-Transcendentalism. Anti-transcendentalism is the belief that humans are born with sin. It is the idea that every human being is destructive and spreads negativity. Anti-Transcendentalists
It is full of fish and treasures beneath. They travel the waters by boat and complete the same job every day. Madness is something that causes human to go insane. “The Ocean” quoted, “The ocean has its silent caves, Deep, quiet and alone; Though there be fury on the waves” (Line 1-3). Sailors are often lonely and live a life without love. They build up a life of work and sorrow. Above the dark sea is daylight where most of the anger occurs. Above water, the sailors go through obstacles that pain them. Each one of them knows that below them, something meaningful is there. The waves represent them getting up and falling again, each time as the waves drop across the rocks. According to the poem, “The ocean solitudes are blest, for there is purity” (Line 11-12). The lonely sailors are blessed, because there is hope for them in the end. However, the bottom of the ocean also contains something else. Nathaniel Hawthorne stated that it is full of dead spirits who are in peace. As stated by the author, “But peaceful sleep is ever there, Beneath the dark blue waves” (Line 15-16). Under the ocean lies dead bodies from shipwrecks over the years. As declared in the poem, “The awful spirits of the deep Hold their communion there” (Line 5-6). The souls of the ocean gather together in the bottom. Although the owners of the souls are dead, they are at rest and do not have to worry about working in life. The sailors fear about dying, but once they pass away they are happy to not have to deal with their lives. Above the deep blue water is the reality of life for sailors. They travel the waters by boat and complete the same job every day. After they die, they will be in peace with other